


Bathed In Starlight

by Mingamelon



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Attempted Curse Breaking, Bathing/Washing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Stargazing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, basically the slowest most patient fluffy fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-03-05 08:36:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13384140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mingamelon/pseuds/Mingamelon
Summary: “Lean your head back and close your eyes.” The doctor murmured softly into Arthan’s ear. His cupped hands lifted the water within them, the surface rippling but mirroring the starry sky above. “And let yourself be bathed in starlight.”A moment alone, a sky full of stars, and a basin of warm water make for the perfect Halcyon Night.





	Bathed In Starlight

**Author's Note:**

> It's been entirely too long since I've posted anything here! Leave it to a surprisingly in depth visual novel to pull me from that hiatus, heh.
> 
> My apprentice's name is Arthan, male gender he/him pronouns. He has dark brown hair pulled into a messy braided plait that hangs over a shoulder, and he has heterochromia (green left eye, blue right eye).
> 
> This takes place during Chapter VIII: Strength, during the beginning of Halcyon Nights.

Arthan grunted softly as he set a metal pail on the ground, the water within sloshing around and threatening to spill before eventually stilling. He lifted a hand and drew the back of it over his forehead, brushing sweat and strands of mud-brown hair away as his gaze lifted to the sky above. The sun was nestled against the horizon, painting the sky above with vibrant shades of orange and red.

 _Soon the day will give way to the night. I couldn’t ask for a more perfect view of the stars._ Arthan thought to himself as he grabbed the pail by the handle and hoisted it up, his free hand coming up below to support it as he tipped the contents into the basin beside him, the water tumbling in a free falling stream before joining with what had already been gathered from the well. He bit his lower lip in thought before deciding the basin was full to his liking, setting the now empty pail down beside a gnarled log bench.

A slow, rolling breeze had Arthan lift his head in the direction of the nearby cottage, the delicious smell of Portia’s cooking reminding him that dinner would soon be served. If he wanted a bath before then, he had to do it now, and yet when his hands moved to the leather lacings of his vest, his fingers hesitated.

 _I want to ask Julian to join me._ The idea prickled at Arthan’s mind, causing him to frown slightly. After everything that had happened during the day, perhaps the other man wanted some time to himself. But the sudden idea of leaving Julian alone to his own thoughts had Arthan rounding the basin immediately, moving further away from it and the cottage, and walking deeper into the gardens on a well traveled path.

Arthan found the doctor among the lush, leafy gardens, seated on another log bench with his hand extended, a long, springy blade of grass between his fingers. Directly beneath his hand, low in a hunter’s crouch, was the brown-on-tan cat Pepi, her haunches wiggling and pale blue eyes fixed up on the tantalizing sprig. Pepi’s tail flicked back and forth, then stopped as she suddenly launched herself up in the air, her paws batting the blade of grass from Julian’s loose hold and catching it in her jaws as it fell free. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Pepi bound away along the garden path with her prize, her tail brushing against Arthan’s leg in passing.

Julian lifted his head and for a moment they stared at each other before Arthan found his tongue and approached. “I, er…” He started off weakly before the words come to mind. “The bath.” Arthan nodded his head back in the direction he had came. “I was wondering if you wanted to join me for a bath?” He extended his arm with his palm up towards the doctor, the gesture that mirrored the offer of his words. Arthan swallowed hard as he met Julian’s eye, doing his best to ignore the flush that warmed his face.

The doctor’s eye meet his and there was a second of searching, but it’s was a fleeting look that passed quickly, and his expression relaxed, a small smile tugging at his lips as Julian reached forward to take Arthan’s hand with a sturdy grip and slowly stood. “After everything we’ve been through, I’d say a bath under the stars has been more than earned.”

Arthan’s fingers slid against the supple leather of Julian’s glove as he threaded their fingers together, drawing the other man to his side as they walked along the well worn path leading away from the gardens and back to Portia’s cottage. Neither of them spoke as the sky above slowly darkened, the earlier colors of a striking orange and red sunset were now giving way to a deep purple twilight. The sun was now dipped below the horizon, and soon the stars would appear. Their timing couldn’t have been any more perfect.

Julian’s hand gently slid from Arthan’s grasp as they approached the basin, and he cocked an eyebrow, tilting his head at the sight. “You haven’t lit a fire to warm the water?” He asked, looking from the stilled surface of the water and back to the apprentice. “Or do you take your baths cold?”

“I wait to warm it until I’m ready to bathe.” Arthan stood beside the basin, his shoulder brushing against the doctor’s arm as he leaned forward slightly, lowering a hand with his fingers outstretched. His fingertips grazed the water’s surface with a touch so careful it didn’t cause ripples, and closed his eyes in concentration. With a grand outward movement, Arthan swept his hand along the surface without disturbing it’s stillness, and as his hand rose up and away from the water’s surface, so too did a wisp of steam. “There. It should be at just the right temperature.”

Arthan straightened and looked to Julian, nodding over to the log bench beside them. “You might want to drape your clothing over that, instead of laying it about in the grass.” He stepped over to the bench to retrieve his satchel, one hand holding it while the other plunged inside, fingers brushing against the items within until he found what he was looking for. Arthan eased a small bundle out and gave it a quick inspection in his palm before setting the satchel down beside the bench and returning to the basin.

Julian, who had removed his coat and gloves and had draped them neatly over the log bench, took notice in Arthan’s movements and gave the apprentice a look of interest. “Something essential to your baths, I take it?”

“Yes.” Arthan nodded with a soft smile, holding out his hand to show him the bundle rolling slightly in cradle of his palm. “Bathing herbs to soak in the water. Chamomile to soothe, sage for clarity, lovage root to open the mind, jasmine and rose petals-” He listed off a number of the herbs he was fond of using before breaking off and chuckling softly. “Well, more for their scent than their medical properties.” Arthan moved his hand over the basin and slowly lowered it into the water, letting the bundle soak through and sink to the bottom.

“That should be it-” The apprentice announced as he turned around to face Julian, his eyes widening and face flushing deeply at the sight of the other man standing before him, his pristinely white undershirt now laid out over his coat and gloves on the log, his upper body completely exposed. He gave the doctor a slow, measured look before clearing his throat and turning his head away.

“Surely you’ll have to undress if we’re to bathe together?”

Arthan’s flush had reached his ears at that point, the tips hidden by his long, mousy hair. He lifted his hands to the fastenings of his vest, but not before hearing the slight scuffle of footsteps that drew Julian in closer, the doctor’s sure and steady hands tugging firmly at the lacings. Arthan leaned forward, enough for his forehead to rest against the center of Julian’s chest, and he slowly breathed in the other man’s scent and warmth as his well worn leather vest was carefully removed.

Julian stepped back for a moment, just long enough to set the vest over the log bench and next to his own clothing. “Arms up, now. We have to get your shirt off next.”

“I’m not a child, you know.” There was no bite to Arthan’s words, just a gentle retort and a gentler smile as he did as he was told. Julian’s fingers slid under the hem of his loose, brown tunic and began easing it up over the apprentice’s head and arms. Arthan’s thick, unruly plait of hair was last to pass through, dropping past his shoulder and swinging for a moment before stilling. There was a moment where both of them stared at each other, where Arthan’s own blush was mirrored on Julian and nothing was said for a handful of heartbeats.

When Julian reached for the clasp of Arthan’s belt, the apprentice placed a hand over the doctor’s and slowly shook his head. “See to yourself first.” Arthan stepped to the side of Julian, his bare shoulder brushing against the other man’s arm in a fleeting contact of skin against skin as he approached his satchel once more, noticing Julian’s boots set beside it. Portia had already loaned him a towel, which would now have to be used for the both of them, and after poking around in his satchel once more, Arthan eased out a pale lilac bar of soap.

He heard the sound of approaching footsteps and straightened, shaking his head with a small quirk of a smile. “If you think you’ve come over in an attempt to relieve me of my trousers-” Arthan began, but the words stuck in his throat the moment a pair of gray-blue trousers were slung over his shoulder, followed by a black leather belt and the press of a warm body from behind.

“Looks like I’ve taken the lead, my dear.” A voice murmured coyly into his ear, the breath of a chuckle against Arthan’s skin sending a bolt of warmth rushing down his spine.

Try as he might to stop himself, the apprentice leaned back slightly into the man behind him, and he felt Julian’s sturdy hands on his hips, keeping him in place. “Be that as it may, you’re not likely to get a bath just standing there.” Arthan admonished, but just like the last time, there was only affection in his tone.

“Don’t leave me by myself for too long, hm?” Julian hummed softly, tilting his head to press a kiss just under the apprentice’s jaw, and he moved away, the soft padding of footsteps going in the direction of the basin. There was a shuffling sound, then the sloshing of water, and Arthan carefully set Julian’s clothes with the rest of his belongings before toeing out of his boots, then removed his trousers and smallclothes.

When Arthan took the soap in hand once more, he was sure he felt an expectant eye on him, and he promptly turned around, his face set with a cool expression and words ready for a retort… that immediately died on his lips. Julian wasn’t looking at him as he approached the basin, but rather his head was tilted up towards the darkened sky above, silently watching the stars with a transfixed expression on his face. Arthan stared for a moment, his expression softening with how the other man looked, his pale skin dappled in starlight and the tepid night breeze tussling his dark auburn hair.

Wordlessly, the apprentice approached the side of the basin and hoisted himself over the side, the water churning about at the sudden disturbance as Arthan eased himself to sit between Julian’s legs. He leaned back without hesitation, his back pressing up against slightly damp skin and wisps of chest hair. Arthan closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the sensation and the gentle thrum of Julian’s heartbeat, the rhythm feeling almost in time with his own…

Julian shifted slightly behind him and lifted a hand, sending a shower of droplets down against the water’s surface and Arthan’s shoulder as long fingers carefully carded into the long plait of brown hair against the apprentice’s shoulder, a few inches dipping into the water. “It almost seems cumbersome to have hair this long. When was the last time you had it cut?”

Arthan, having gotten the hint when the doctor had begun mussing his hair, lifted his hands from the warm bathwater and undid the tie that kept the plait in place. Mud-brown strands cascaded along his shoulder and fell back against Julian’s chest, and he tilted his head up slightly in thought, frowning a bit when he couldn’t call anything to memory. “I’m not sure.” Arthan answered, slowly shaking his head to ease the prickle of uneasiness he had towards his memory, which seemed pinpricked full of holes lately. “It must have been a very long time ago, if ever. You don’t grow your hair this long in only a year, you know.” He wasn’t sure who he was trying to ease with that idle comment, but thankfully the moment passed when Julian shifted, bringing his arms over the apprentice’s shoulders and cupping his hands in the water before him.

“Lean your head back and close your eyes.” The doctor murmured softly into Arthan’s ear. His cupped hands lifted the water within them, the surface rippling but mirroring the starry sky above. “And let yourself be bathed in starlight.”

Portia’s words of warning for Julian’s dramatics echoed distantly in Arthan’s mind, but it brought a smile to his face as he does as he was told and feels the warmth of the bathwater being slowly released from the other man’s hands above, rolling down like a river from the crown of Arthan’s head and into his hair. The process is repeated several times before the entirety of his long, mousy hair is soaked through, and a sigh of contentment escaped his lips.

“Enjoying yourself?” Julian asked, and Arthan could hear the smile in the doctor’s voice without needing to tilt his head to look. “Did you remember the soap? I would almost hate to see you get out of the basin, dripping and naked as you are.” He lamented.

“As it just so happens,” Arthan lifted a hand from the water, the sleek, lilac bar set between his fingers. “I have it right here.” The apprentice shifted slightly, moving his hand out of Julian’s reach and hummed, pretending to think out loud. “Perhaps I should magic it across the garden and see how _you_ look walking about in the moonlight, dripping and naked as you are.”

“What a cruel man you are, Arthan.” The doctor teased, leaning forward to kiss the corner of the apprentice’s mouth and using the gesture as a distraction to steal away the soap. It was less of stealing and more of giving when Arthan tilted his head slightly to make the kiss a proper one.

It lasted for just a second, and soon enough the apprentice felt a hand against the center of his back, applying just enough pressure to guide him into inching forward, leaving enough space between them so Julian could slowly begin to wash his shoulders. There was an almost rhythmic passing of bathwater and soap against his skin, working up a nice foamy lather against the expanse of his back.

“Is that… lavender? And lemon balm?” Julian asked after a while.

“It is.” Arthan pulled his dampened hair forward, and with careful fingers worked it back into a plait to give the other man space to wash his shoulders and neck. “It’s a blend that reduces stress and tension, but has a calming aroma as well. It’s the same herbal blend I use for my tea at night.” He could feel the effects now, seeping into his skin through the work of Julian’s skillful hands. Arthan drew his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and allowing the doctor access to wash each of his arms in turn with sure, steady hands.

Arthan exhaled slowly, then took in a breath through barely parted lips. He could feel the energies and auras of their surroundings swirling around him… the lush garden life all around them, the pale moon illuminating the sky above, the upbeat, barely audible hum of Portia as she prepared dinner in the distance… and Julian behind him, his hands chastely exploring his body among whorls of lavender and lemon. The lilac lather that was left in the wake of the doctor’s hands was washed away, but the floral scent remained, a scent that they would soon share when Julian pressed the soap into Arthan’s hand.

“Your turn.” He murmured, nipping lightly at the shell of the apprentice’s ear.

“Yes, it would seem so.” Arthan mused. “Keep still.” He said as he shifted slightly, the water sloshing as he rearranged himself to straddle Julian, who looked surprised for only a heartbeat before a grin appeared on his face.

“We should have started out like this.” The doctor remarked, dipping his hands under the water’s surface and settling them on Arthan’s hips.

“I’ll remember for next time.” The apprentice noted, feeling a slight prickle in his chest at the indication of there being a ‘next time’, given the risks of being seen. Arthan firmly put the thought from his mind as he curled a hand in the water, lifting and letting it trickle down against Julian’s chest. He repeated the process until the skin was damp enough to begin working the soap against it with small, rhythmic circles.

Julian set his arms against the basin’s rim and leaned back, his eye closing as a soft groan left him. Arthan’s gaze, which had been trained on the other man’s chest, flickered upwards towards his face, and he couldn’t help the tug of a small smile on his lips. He was tempted to say something, but reconsidered as he felt the muscles in Julian’s shoulders relaxing, the tension ebbing away under his fingers. It felt good, to be able to have that kind of effect on the other man, to know he could do something for him like this.

Arthan spent the next handful of minutes washing away at the lather he had worked up against the doctor’s chest and shoulders, then began the process anew with Julian’s arms. Apart from the occasional soft pull of breath and trickles of water, neither of them made a sound. Their gaze met once or twice, each time resulting in Arthan shifting forward for a barely there brush of a kiss, and after washing the lather from Julian’s arms, the apprentice sat still in quiet contemplation for a moment.

His gaze wandered up from Julian’s chest and stopped at the center of his throat, and Arthan felt a sliver of uneasiness settle in his chest. His eyebrows knit and jaw tightened as he remembered the night he had fallen into the river and was attacked by a vampire eel. Julian had pried the creature’s jaws from his side and taken the wounds on as his own through a curse that had been placed on him by Asra, manifesting itself as a magical seal upon his throat…

“Arthan?”

Julian’s voice pulled him from his tumultuous thoughts and the apprentice slowly lifted his head to meet the doctor’s eye. There was no point in denying how he felt or changing his expression of concern. “I want to understand my master’s intentions.” The words tumbled from his mouth freely, and he turned his head to the side to look away.

To Arthan’s surprise, his words elicited a bark of laughter from Julian, sharp and sudden. “That makes two of us, then.” He shook his head slowly, a mirthful smile still on his face when the apprentice met his eye once more. “You have a kind heart, Arthan, to worry about something I undoubtedly brought upon myself.”

 _No one should have to relive a punishment like that._ Arthan should have spoken the words aloud, but instead turned them inward, burying the sentiment in the privacy of his own mind. Instead, he lifted his hands from the bathwater and held them palm outward at the level of Julian’s throat. The doctor lifted an eyebrow, but didn’t speak as Arthan pressed his index fingers together, then his thumbs, leaving a window of space between where the curse seal would be. He closed his eyes and fanned his other fingers out, taking in a slow, calming breath.

It seemed as though all was still. The water’s surface, the idle sounds of insects in the distance, even the night’s breeze. Arthan could feel Asra’s powerful magic embedded in Julian’s skin, and his brow furrowed as he concentrated. _Break the spell._ He told himself, setting his jaw firmly. With a sudden movement that sent ripples along the water’s surface, Arthan broke the contact with his forefingers and thumbs with a sudden movement, his fingers splayed and hands pushing away in a single motion meant to lift the curse from the other man.

For a single heartbeat it felt as though the presence of Asra’s magic had flickered, like the flame of a candle against a light breeze, but the moment passed in an instant and the curse remained firmly in place. Arthan stared for a moment before his gaze rose to Julian’s, then lowered once more. “I’m not strong enough.” He admitted, knowing full well that Asra was much more powerful than he was, but unable to keep disappointment from his tone.

Julian was silent for a while before lifting a hand and gently cradling the side of the apprentice’s face. “It’s not all bad, Arthan.” He soothed. “After all, had it not been for this curse, you would have been in a far worse state after the affair with the vampire eel.” Julian tilted Arthan’s head up so they could meet each other’s eyes. “The sentiment of trying, however… it means more than I can say.” Perhaps to make up for being unable to fully speak his mind, the doctor leaned forward and pressed their lips together for a kiss.

Arthan felt the sincerity behind the gesture, one of his hands moving to rest at the back of the doctor’s neck. Perhaps one day he would understand what had happened between Asra and Julian, but it wouldn’t do to dwell on it now.

“You’re still thinking about it.” Julian chided gently against the kiss.

“To be fair, I’m thinking about a _lot_ of things.” Count Lucio’s murder, Countess Nadia asking him for justice, Asra’s mysterious ways, Julian’s inability to remember the events of the murder… and his own memories, fragmented and missing key details from years ago. But despite the weight of the tasks set upon his shoulders, Arthan didn’t find himself burdened by it. As his other hand found Julian’s, their fingers threading together beneath the water’s surface, the apprentice outright rejected any feeling of burden or hopelessness. He was on the right path, the only path- the path to the truth.

“I think,” Arthan began, giving Julian’s hand a squeeze. “That we have bathed for long enough.”

“As do I.” The doctor agreed, nudging their foreheads together before nodding toward the towel laying on the log bench. “We should dry and dress ourselves, or it’s likely Portia will run into quite the surprise when she comes to find us.”

Still, they remained for a moment longer, with Arthan pressing the side of his head against Julian’s chest. He felt the doctor’s arms move over his shoulders, keeping him in place, and listened to the soft rhythm of his heart. Arthan slowly counted to his favored number, twenty-two, before straightening once more and looking Julian in the eye. “Come now, enough lingering.”

They made use of the towel in silence, with Julian claiming it first, only to begin drying the apprentice with careful touches from the cloth’s surface. Arthan did the same in turn, though he had to lean forward into the front of his feet to reach the other man’s shoulders due to his shorter stature. He was in the midst of pulling on his vest and tying the lacings when Portia approached, beads of sweat dappling her forehead from her work in the cottage’s small kitchen, but overall looking quite accomplished with herself.

Her intuitive eye caught on the basin, it’s milky violet waters still and dappled with starlight, and the corners of her mouth lifted into a smirk, but she didn’t breathe a word of it. “Dinner’s ready. I was thinking we could eat in the garden, under the stars?”

“A lovely suggestion.” Julian said as he pulled his coat on over his shoulders in a show of flair, which only brought attention to the fact that he hadn’t been wearing it earlier and playing right into Portia’s keen observations.

She rolled her eyes, but caught Arthan’s gaze and winked at him playfully. “Let’s get to it, then. The fireflies should be out soon!”

Portia lead the way back to the cottage, with Julian not too far behind her. Arthan, however, hadn’t moved at at all. He looked to the sky, watching the stars in the distance, feeling that the calm he was enjoying now wouldn’t last forever. But however unsettling the realization might be, there was also a definite sense that the shadow looming over Vesuvia would pass. It _would_ pass, so long as the apprentice believed it would.

“Arthan?”

He gave a start of surprise, looking to Julian, who had called him from his thoughts. The doctor’s expression was unreadable, and Arthan could see Portia’s head peeking out from beside him.

“Come on, Arthan, I want you to tell me how good my cooking is!”

Arthan looked from her to Julian, who’s expression had softened slightly as he held out a hand for him. There was no delay as the apprentice stepped forward, sliding his hand into Julian’s grasp, and he fell into step beside the other man as they returned to the cottage with Portia in the lead.

**Author's Note:**

> Songs -  
> Crossing Those Hills (FFIX)  
> The Price of Freedom (Crisis Core: FFVII)  
> Kagome and InuYasha (InuYasha OST)  
> Kikyou (InuYasha OST)
> 
> Snacks -  
> Chocolate Covered Cashews  
> Konpeito


End file.
